DE3642920C2 - Loading device for a combat vehicle, in particular a self-propelled howitzer - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a charging device for a Combat vehicle, especially a self-propelled howitzer, with the features from the preamble of the claim 1.

For self-propelled howitzers, their weapon with a long tube should be equipped to increase the range to achieve, there is the problem that with a Arrangement of the turret carrying the weapon in the vehicle middle of the barrel of the weapon protrudes in front and the movement This hinders the vehicle's ability to move off-road is. It is for this reason that the rotatable is known To arrange the tower in the area behind the center of the vehicle. However, such an arrangement brings problems in terms of the ammunition stowage and the supply of the projectiles from the storey magazine to the weapon when loading with it. Will the ammunition, namely as in known vehicles the case located in the tower or rear of the vehicle, this results in a strong tail when loaded heaviness of the vehicle, or a strong shift the vehicle's center of gravity at the transition from the unloaded State in the loaded state that the driving behavior of the vehicle.  

A loading device for a main battle tank vehicle with the Features from the preamble of claim 1 described in DE 30 25 501 C1. In this known The charger has a coaxial device carousel magazine rotatable towards the tower, in which the Cartridges with the tip facing the axis of rotation are stored, as well as one in the bow of the vehicle sump the driver's seat arranged second magazine in which the Cartridges with the tip in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are stored in the back. The projectiles are from the second magazine fed to the carousel magazine to finally from there by means of a cartridge elevator the weapon’s cartridge opening at zero elevation Soul axis to be raised.

A combat vehicle is described in DE 30 17 323 A1 ben, which has an automatic loading device, by means of the bearings in the tower perpendicular to the vehicle floor floors, as well as elsewhere in the vehicle stored propellant charges are fed to the weapon.

Finally, in DE 33 06 934 A1 is a weapon system described with a charger that one around Shield pivot axis of the weapon swiveling loading arm points.

The object underlying the invention was therein a loading device for a combat vehicle, in particular a self-propelled howitzer, with those in the preamble the features mentioned in claim 1 so excerpt stalten that on the one hand when loading the vehicle the center of gravity changed little, on the other hand  but a free fight inside the vehicle space, especially a free passage for the Driver who is preserved and loading the weapon both automatically and by hand quickly and easily remains feasible.

This object is achieved with the invention the features from the characterizing part of the patent saying 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention Loading device are described in claims 2 to 6 ben.

The idea underlying the invention was in it, the ammunition not in the turret and not in the vehicle rear, but to be arranged in the area of the center of the vehicle. This has the advantage that when loading the vehicle the focus is hardly shifted, but it does Difficulty with being inside space of the vehicle too little movement and passage has space and loading the gun is problematic is because the projectiles are initially in the rear of the vehicle and brought from there into the turret and into the weapon must be promoted. With the know the invention drawing features, these problems are optimal Way solvable. By arranging the storey magazine along the side walls it's like below an embodiment is explained in detail, easily possible the necessary space for movement and passage in Get vehicle center. By means of the characteristic Features of the projectile feeder can be found in simple way up every floor from the floor magazine be placed in the loading position behind the weapon.  

Such a projectile delivery device allows not just a fully automatic guiding of the projectile down to the loading position, but it can be in emergency mode can also be operated by hand, making it easier Feed the bullets from the center of the vehicle into the Loading position significantly.

With the loading device according to the invention u. a. achieved the following advantages:

• 1. When loading the vehicle occurs only a very ge rings shift of center of gravity;
• 2. A large supply of ammunition can be added be a powerful ammunition flow preserved;
• 3. There remains a free fighting space inside get walking ground and a free escape route to the rear, the vehicle being marked by a large Can enter and leave tailgate;
• 4. Feeding the projectiles into the loading position is automatic and easier by hand Assemblies possible, which also for Aufmuni tioning the vehicle can be used, the standing storage of the storeys is particularly important multiple holders of the bullets in the magazine and one easy removal and handling of the storeys in the enables manual operation.

The following is based on the attached drawings Embodiment for a combat vehicle with a Loading device according to the invention and the process of Feeding the bullets from the bullet magazine into the Loading position explained in more detail.

The drawings show:

Figure 1 is an overall view of a self-propelled howitzer from the side in a schematic representation.

FIG. 2 shows a top view of the self-propelled howitzer according to FIG. 1;

Fig. 3 in compared to Figure 2 in an enlarged Dar position a view of the vehicle interior of the self-propelled howitzer of Figure 2 with the turret removed.

Fig. 4 in a perspective, highly schematic representation of the design of the vehicle interior of the self-propelled howitzer according to Figures 1 to 3 with individual devices of the projectile supply device.

Fig. 5 to 14 in a highly schematic Teildar of the vehicle interior in the region of the vehicle center position, successive stages in the feeding of a projectile from the projectile magazine in the loading position.

The pan shown in FIGS . 1 and 2 in overall representation consists of a tracked vehicle 1 on which a tower 2 is rotatably arranged, which carries a heavy weapon 3 .

As can be seen, the tower 2 is arranged in the area behind the center of the vehicle.

There is a driver seat 1.1 in the front of the vehicle. As explained in more detail below, the storeys are stored in the area 1.2 of the center of the vehicle and the vehicle can be entered and exited through a large door arranged in the rear 1.3 in a manner not specifically shown.

By storing the ammunition in the area of the vehicle middle is achieved that the center of gravity of the vehicle only slightly when loading from position S1 the position S2 shifted.

As can be seen more clearly from FIG. 3, the ammunition in region 1.2 is stored in a total of three storey magazines, with a first storey magazine 4.1 being arranged along the right-hand side wall 1.5 of the vehicle interior as seen in the longitudinal direction L of the vehicle, while a second storey magazine 4.2 is located along the opposite side Side wall 1.6 is arranged. A third storey magazine 4.3 is arranged transversely to the vehicle longitudinal direction L, in such a way that a free space 1.2 is retained in the center of the vehicle, which is connected by a passage to the driver's seat 1.1 . As can be seen well in FIG. 3, an escape route for the driver through the middle of the vehicle to the rear 1.3 is also provided.

As only hinted at in Fig. 3, further ammunition can be stored below the vehicle floor.

Other known interior parts in the vehicle inner ones are only partially indicated by dashed lines and are not explained in more detail below.

As in addition, that the vehicle floor Gela 1.4 siege of FIG. 3 shown in FIGS. 7 to 9 hen to erse, the shells 5 and 5.2 are in the NEN Geschoßmagazi standing vertically.

To load the weapon, each projectile must be removed from one of the projectile magazines, tilted from the vertical, into a position parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the vehicle, and conveyed into the rear part of the vehicle. There the projectile must be lifted into the turret and brought into the loading position, the current position of the weapon 3 in elevation and azimuth having to be taken into account.

The following Shell-feeding device described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 14 is used for this purpose.

This projectile feeder basically has the following parts:

A total in Fig. 4 with reference numeral 6 th projectile transporter, which is arranged in the area of the vehicle center 1.2 and is used to remove a projectile from one of the storey magazines 4.1 , 4.2 or 4.3 and to supply a standby shell 7 , the floor 1.4 fixed in the vehicle is arranged. Here, the projectile must be brought into a position parallel to the vehicle floor 1.4 and to the vehicle longitudinal direction L. Behind the standby shell 7 , a transport rail 8 is rotatably arranged in a plane parallel to the vehicle floor 1.4 , in such a way that it can be brought into alignment with the standby shell 7 and connected to it. From the ready shell 7 , a projectile located therein can be pushed into the transport rail 8 by means of a delivery device designed as a pushing device, in which it can be transported further by means of a chain conveyor 9.2 designed as a conveying device. The trans port rail 8 can be designed as an open half-shell.

In Fig. 4, some other device parts are indicated, which are not described in more detail below and are constructed from elements known per se, namely a magazine 16 for storing the Treibla applications and housings 14 , 15 and 17 , which the control and power electronics included to operate the various devices.

The other parts of the Geschoßzuführungsvor direction are in particular FIGS . 10 to 14 to take men. At the rear end 3.1 of the weapon 3 is a lowerable into the vehicle interior, via a pivot bearing 10.1 connected to the weapon projectile transfer arm 10 is angeord net. As can be seen, this projectile transfer arm 10 is arranged in such a way that its individual parts are located below and behind the weapon end 3.1 , so that only space is used which the crew cannot enter during the fire fight. The projectile arm 10 can be pivoted in the elevation plane regardless of the position of the weapon 3 . It can be mounted on the shield pin bearing of the weapon.

At the rear free end of the projectile transfer arm 10 , a charging cradle 11 is arranged such that it is also pivotable in relation to the projectile transfer arm 10 in the plane of the elec- tion. As described in more detail below, a projectile can be picked up from the transport rail by means of the projectile transfer arm and brought into the loading position shown in FIG. 14, from which it is conveyed into the weapon by means of an attachment device 13 .

These processes are explained in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 14.

The projectile transporter 6 is constructed as a manipulator as it is known in principle in industrial manufacturing processes. A gripping device 6.1 is pivotally arranged at the lower end of a vertically standing transport arm 6.2 which can be moved on a rail 6.3 aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The rail 6.3 in turn hangs on two rails 6.4 arranged in the transverse direction and can be displaced in the transverse direction along the rails 6.4 . The movement is controlled in a manner known per se by drive and control devices which are not specifically shown.

In Figs. 5 to 14, the central region 1.2 of the vehicle is indicated only schematically, and the operation of the feeding of a projectile 5.1 of its removal from the shell magazine until it reaches the loading position will be described below:

According to FIG. 5, a projectile 5.1 standing perpendicular to the vehicle floor 1.4 is gripped by means of the gripper 6.1 and, as indicated by arrows, slightly raised and moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. It is, as FIG. 6 can be seen, also moved transversely to the vehicle direction and pivoted and finally shown in FIG. 7 inserted from above and with the projectile nose rearwardly facing shell shank in the ready 7.

In Figs. 7 and 8 are more storeys 5.2, which are still in the shell magazine, indicated.

As can be seen in FIG. 8, the projectile 5.1 is then inserted into the vehicle in the longitudinal direction into the transport rail 8 by means of the ejector 9.1 , the drive and control device of which is not specifically shown, and is transported further to the rear in this by means of the chain conveyor 9.2 .

FIG. 9 shows how the transport rail can be rotated about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle floor 1.4 in order to bring the projectile 5.1 into the position shown in FIG. 10, in which the projectile tip points forward. It is assumed in the exemplary embodiment that the weapon is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. However, this is not mandatory because the transport rail 8 can be set to any direction in the azimuth of the weapon 3 .

As can be seen from FIG. 10, the Ge transfer arm 10 is already performing a lowering movement.

If, as shown in Fig. 11, the projectile transfer arm 10 has reached its lowest position and the charging cradle 11 arranged on it is inserted into the transport rail 8 and is coaxial with it, the Ge can 5.1 inserted into the charging cradle 11 .

In Fig. 12 it is shown how the charging cradle 11 is pivoted up and, according to FIG. 1.3, the projectile transfer arm 10 is also pivoted up again, so that, in a coordination of the movements of the charging cradle 11 and the projectile transfer arm 10 , the one shown in FIG. 14 is finally shown End position is reached, in which the projectile 5.1 is in the loading position behind the weapon end 3.1 .

During the last phases of this transport process, as can be seen in FIGS. 12 to 14, a second floor 5.2 of the ready shell 7 and finally the transport rail 8 may have already been fed.

By the piecing 13 , the floor 5.1 can then be set.

The drive devices for actuating the transport rail 8 , the chain conveyor 9.2 and the floor transfer arm 10 and the charging cradle 11 are not shown separately.

The entire feeding process can be done automatically, controlled by appropriate electronic controls directions. Here, for example, are the location coordinates naten of the storeys in the magazine and other storey data stored in ammunition flow logic so that already when the floor transporter is operated Positions of specified floors can be selected can.

The construction of the projectile feeder from several Individual facilities also make it possible in the event of failure of partial functions through manual intervention replace. For example, if the Ge lap transporters also manually remove a projectile from the Bullet magazine removed and in the ready shell be inserted. Likewise, the shift of the Bullet in the transport rail carried out manually become. Finally, the projectile can also be manually inserted into the Charging cradle.

The described projectile feeder device can be used in a simple manner for loading and unloading the vehicle with ammunition. Here, as in play, Figure a feed opening can. Be found in 9, behind the region of the conveying rail 8 may be provided 12, into which is inserted from the rear of the vehicle floors in the transport rail, to then be automatically conveyed further in the transport rail until they get into the standby shell 7 , from which they can be removed by the projectile transporter 6 and automatically fed to the projectile magazines. Unloading takes place in the opposite direction and the bullets can be removed at the rear of the vehicle.

Claims (6)

1. Loading device for a combat vehicle, in particular a self-propelled howitzer, with a rotatable turret arranged on the vehicle, on which a heavy weapon is arranged pivotably in elevation, wherein at least one projectile magazine is arranged in the vehicle in the region of the center of the vehicle, along the projectiles the side walls of the vehicle interior are stored leaving a passage space which extends essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the loading device has an automatic projectile feed device by means of which one projectile is gripped and conveyed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle into the area behind the weapon end, in azimuth to the current direction of the Gun is aligned and raised to the loading position, characterized in that in the case of a vehicle ( 1 ) with a tower ( 2 ) arranged in the area behind the center of the vehicle ( 1.2 ), the projectiles ( 5 , 5.1 , 5.2 ) are perpendicular to the vehicle floor ( 1.4 ) are stored in the vehicle interior and through the Geschoßzu guide device ( 6-7-8-9-10-11 ) each recorded Ge shot ( 5.1 ) is first rotated by 90 ° and in the area behind the weapon end ( 3.1 ) also in elevation on the current direction of the weapon ( 3 ) is aligned, for which purpose the projectile feeder has the following devices:

• a) A in the area of the storey magazine ( 4.1 , 4.2 , 4.3 ) arranged storey transporter ( 6 ) with a in a plane parallel to the vehicle floor ( 1.4 ) movable and perpendicular to this plane transport arm ( 6.2 ), at the lower end of a pivoting gripping device ( 6.1 ) is arranged;
• b) a standby shell ( 7 ) arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction (L) and firmly connected to the vehicle floor ( 1.4 );
• c) means disposed in the vehicle longitudinal direction (L) behind the readiness tray (7), about an axis perpendicular to the vehicle floor (1.4) rotating bare, orientable into a position aligned with stem cup for providing (7) Transport Schie ne (8);
• d) conveyor devices ( 9.1 , 9.2 ) for moving a projectile ( 5.1 ) from the standby shell ( 7 ) into the transport rail ( 8 ) and within the transport rail;
• e) on the weapon ( 3-3.1 ) pivotally mounted, movable in a plane in or parallel to the elevation plane and lowerable into the vehicle ( 1 ) projectile transfer arm ( 10 ), at the free end of a charging cradle ( 11 ) in the elevation plane of the Weapon ( 3 ) is arranged pivotably, the projectile transfer arm ( 10 ) in each position of the weapon ( 3 ) can be lowered so far that the charging cradle ( 11 ) in alignment with the barrel axis of the barrel of the weapon ( 3 ) in a second position tion is aligned or coaxial to the transport rail ( 8 ) movable;
• f) Drive and control devices for moving the projectile transporter ( 6 ), the transport rail ( 8 ), the conveying devices ( 9.1 , 9.2 ), the projectile transfer arm ( 10 ) and the loading shell ( 11 ).

2. Loading device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor for moving a Ge shot ( 5.1 ) from the standby shell ( 7 ) in the transport rail ( 8 ) is designed as an ejector ( 9.1 ). 3. Loading device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveyor for moving a projectile ( 5.1 ) within the transport rail ( 8 ) is designed as a chain conveyor ( 9.2 ). 4. Loading device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the projectile transfer arm ( 10 ) is mounted on the shield journal bearing of the weapon ( 3 ) and its individual components are arranged below and behind the weapon end ( 3.1 ). 5. Loading device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the transport rail ( 8 ) is designed as an upwardly open half-shell. 6. Loading device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transport rail ( 8 ) is arranged so that when aligned in the vehicle longitudinal direction (L) its rear end directly at an in the vehicle rear ( 1.3 ) provided entry and / or Loading opening ( 12 ) is arranged.